Suja Wins Whole Foods ‘Supplier of the Year’ Award

SAN DIEGO — Suja Juice Co., the leader in cold-pressured (high pressure processing or HPP) organic juice and smoothies, today announced that Whole Foods Market has named Suja the winner of its coveted “Supplier of the Year” award in the grocer’s annual Supplier Awards, which took place on Monday, April 21, at a reception in Austin, Texas at the Stephen F. Austin Hotel. The awards are the grocer’s highest honor for producer partners, and spotlight natural and organic suppliers that best embody Whole Foods Market’s mission and core values.

Suja was one of only two recipients of the grocer’s top “Supplier of the Year” award, based on outstanding all-around performance. Out of the 60,000 Whole Foods Market suppliers nationwide, fewer than 50 have received one of these distinguished ‘Supplier Awards,’ carefully selected by Whole Foods Market global buyers and experts who work side-by-side with hundreds of national suppliers to bring products to market.

“We are absolutely thrilled to receive this incredible accolade from a top partner such as Whole Foods Market,” said Jeff Church, CEO and co-founder, Suja Juice. “It not only underscores Suja’s commitment to and passion for creating the highest quality cold-pressured juice available on the market today, but also to successfully growing an ethical business dedicated to helping people live longer, healthier lives through natural, organic and non-GMO verified products.”

Suja was selected to receive the honor as a result of the company’s combined expertise in mixology, high pressure pasteurization technology and ethical sourcing—successfully reinventing the fresh juice category—and for partnering with Whole Foods Market to co-create Suja Elements™, an exclusive line of mission-driven, cold-pressured smoothies at an accessible price point. Suja donates20 cents from every bottle sold of Suja Elements to nonprofits as part of the Suja Elements Cause Collective™.

“At Whole Foods Market, we live and breathe our core values, and one of those values is creating win-win relationships with our suppliers. We’re excited to spotlight our outstanding suppliers whose shared passion, hard work and true partnership is helping us set the industry standard – for quality, ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship, and more,” said Jim Speirs, global vice-president of procurement, non-perishables.

In addition to its two “Supplier of the Year” honorees, Whole Foods Market recognized its cream-of-the-crop supplier partners in 16 categories that highlight several areas of achievement, including product innovation, environmental stewardship, ethical sourcing and excellence in quality standards and assurance.

Suja is the leading organic, non-GMO verified, cold-pressured juice and smoothie brand, offering nutritious and satisfying bottled juices that taste delicious and promote a healthy diet and lifestyle. Suja uses cold pressure to destroy pathogens and ensure the juice is safe to drink, while preserving vitamins, enzymes and nutrients. The vibrantly colored juices are also made with responsibly sourced, organic and non-GMO fruits and vegetables.

About Suja Juice Co.Suja Juice™ began from a shared dream to help people transform their lives through conscious nutrition. The three handcrafted lines of cold-pressured juices, Suja Classic™, Suja Elements™ & Suja Essentials™ are Certified Organic and verified Non-GMO by the Non-GMO Project. All juices and smoothies are cold-pressured using High Pressure Processing (HPP) to kill any harmful bacteria and preserve maximum nutrition and taste. Suja Classic™, packed with pure fruits and vegetables, is the convenient way to drink nutrients the body needs and maintain overall health. The Suja Elements™ line is especially refreshing, packed with vital nutrients, amino acids, omegas and antioxidants. For each bottle of Suja Elements™ purchased, 20 cents is donated to an important cause. In 2014, Suja introduced its newest line, Suja Essentials™, elevated liquid wellness for anytime, anywhere refreshment. Suja Essentials™ delivers functional refreshment with vital nutrients your body needs like amino acids, antioxidants, proteins & omegas. With a wide range of cold-pressed organic offerings, Suja™ has a juice for every lifestyle. Suja can be purchased through SujaJuice.com, Amazon.com, as well as Natural and select National Grocery chains.